a novel in seven days

The Outpost was a squat stone structure that was ringed on all sides by high thick walls that were honeycombed with stairways, arrow loops and topped with crenellations festooned with ancient barbed wire. There were dozens of Outposts scattered along the Verge, marking the point of demarcation between the nurturing safety of the Protectorate and the madness of the Barrens. Each Outpost was similar in design but always ended up being different in execution.

The vagaries of the land made improvisation a key to survival and the proximity to the Barrens meant that many of these strongholds were never completed at all. This Outpost had taken six seasons and four Dukes to complete. The blood of over a hundred sentinels had stained the ground before the walls were completed and the great metal portcullis closed . . .

Most Helpful Member Reviews

Feb 17, 2011: This is a well-written novella. It’s full of details that hint of a fascinating story ‘verse. In this story we only see a small slice of things. The author manages to fit quite a bit of character background without bogging down the flow of the story. This story feels like it should be part of a larger work. It would be perfect as a flashback chapter. As it is I was left wanting more. This story has more depth than a typical novella. I was frustrated that a story that could have been epic was squeezed into something so short. It’s definitely worth reading. I just wish there was more to it!

2 of 3 members found this review helpful.
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